Developers are exploring plans for a new 23-acre senior living community in St. Charles, replete with 64 independent “living cottages” and a senior living building for assisted living and memory care.

Dover Development, LLC submitted a concept plan for “Cedarhurst of St. Charles” on unincorporated Kane County agricultural property, west of the intersection of Dean Street and Peck Road in St. Charles township. Before construction, the city would need to annex and rezone the property.

The developer’s operating company, Missouri-based Cedarhurst Senior Living, manages independent living, assisted living, and memory care across more than 50 communities nationally.

City officials discussed the pitch during the Jan. 6 plan commission meeting.

Plans for the development include a 77,000-square-foot primary senior living building, with 60 assisted living and 27 memory care units along the east side of the property, according to city documents.

The building would be up to 28 feet tall. Plans also show 64 independent living cottages in 16 fourplex buildings along the west end of the property. That area would also contain a clubhouse.

Access points are designed from two driveways off Dean Street. A stormwater detention pond is drawn on the east side of the lot.

The developers estimate the property could fit up to 127 people. The cottages will be leased month-to-month, similar to the assisted living.

The property is part of a larger 360-acre farmland site, known as the Heisley Property, predominantly north of Dean Street. It is also near Renaux Manor, a single-family subdivision.

Before final approval, the city will require a traffic impact study.

As developers gather city and public feedback to determine if they’ll move forward with the housing development, city staff provided recommendations for tweaking existing details.

The plans currently contain a 30-foot setback from Dean Street, with a 40-foot setback for the cottages and a 160-foot setback for the assisted living facility.

City staff are urging the developers to take the area’s rural landscape into consideration.

“A larger building setback is recommended for the cottages backing up to Dean Street to provide additional privacy for residents and to support the semi-rural character of Dean Street in this area,” city staff said in documents.

Likewise, city staff said a tree preservation plan will be required.

“Effort shall be made to preserve high quality trees to the greatest extent possible, particularly within open space locations and along the outer boundary of the development,” city staff said in documents.

Developers looking for city-provided incentives

The developers have asked the city to exempt the entire project from school, park, and affordable housing impact fees.

The developers claim that because the project is for senior-living, “there will be no impact on local school enrollment or park usage,” and that the city waiving the fees, “will be instrumental in advancing that phase of the development.”

The developers said they believe the affordable housing impact fee should not apply because the provided housekeeping and meal plans provide “service-enriched housing for seniors.”

City staff have been mostly agreeable with their requests.

“Staff has determined the assisted living facility is not subject to the school, park, or inclusionary housing contribution requirements, as the use is considered institutional rather than residential,” city staff said in documents. “However, staff believes the independent living component should be subject to the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and park land/cash requirements, at a minimum.”

The city is waiting for feedback from both St. Charles School District 303 and the St. Charles Park District regarding the requests.

If the fees are not waived for the independent living cottages, then the developers would need to pay $104,714 to the school district and another $306,300 to the park district. The fees must be paid prior to issuance of a building permit by the city.

The developers would also be responsible for a $234,995 fee for the city’s Housing Trust Fund to support affordable housing initiatives.